On folic acid tablets but feeling worse than ever

[rosedream]

A month ago I went for full bloods due to not feeling right for as long as I can remember now, I can’t remember the last time I didn’t feel tired or exhausted! My doctors texted me saying I was folic acid deficient and that they’d prescribed me folic acid tablets for 3 months to be followed with another blood test, and that’s it. I’ve been taking them in the hope I’d start to feel better after a few weeks but I’m just getting more and more tired as the days go by. I eat a good, balanced diet which has lots of folic acid in so it’s not that. I’m honestly just losing it a bit now because I’m so exhausted all the time. I’m working part time at the moment and am still exhausted, and it worries me because I have no idea how I’ll cope going full-time. I’ve started to feel down because I have no energy to do a lot of things anymore. I was wondering if I should maybe push my doctors to explain it to me properly or look into the cause? Also, have I not given the tablets enough time to work yet?

[Martin_12]

What folic acid dose are you taking?

Was your B12 tested? Is there any possibility your B12 is low?

Taking folic acid when you are low in B12 can cause or exacerbate neurological symptoms.

[Wendyswillow82]

I’ve had the same issue with low folic acid now for 5 years I take 15mg daily but my b12 is ok I understand how you feel I hope you get some answers soon and start to feel better

[Seth12345 in reply to Wendyswillow82]

15mg is a huge dose.. Why do you take such a large size, especially if it makes you feel so poorly?

[fbirder in reply to Wendyswillow82]

15 mg is almost certainly unnecessary and potentially dangerous. When did you last have your levels checked.

[Tuscansun]

Fatigue and exhaustion can be symptoms of many conditions and deficiencies. I would dig deeper than just folic acid.

What is your age group? Does your diet include gluten? Do you get enough Q10? What is your DHEA level? Other hormones? And so on...

[Cherylclaire Forum Support]

Did you have just an FBC done, do you remember ? Full bloods do not include tests for other possibles for fatigue: B12 or thyroid, for example. Do you have any other symptoms besides fatigue?

Since you are on the Pernicious Anaemia forum, it is likely that you are here either because you suspect B12 deficiency to be the problem or because you are already being treated for this. Not sure which though.

I was given some good advice here about blood tests: to always ask for a printout. Sometimes there are results that, although within range, are heading downward or are really low-end in range, and these can easily get missed. I was treated for B12 - but later also for low folate, low ferritin as some problems remained, and low vitamin D because I was found to have osteoporosis of the spine.

I remember it taking quite a while for folate and ferritin to get up to better levels and to stay there. When I took the initial 3-month treatment for both, they dropped again fairly quickly afterwards.

If you have not yet had a B12 test or a thyroid test yet, you could ask for them. If you are unsure what other tests have been done, it might be worth asking for a copy of results. You can then keep an eye on future results, or even post results on here for advice. If you do, remember to mask any personal details- (about you and the practice). If you type out any results, give the result, unit of measurement, and range given.

Ask your GP why you are folate deficient - I think it is a fair question if your diet is folate-rich. It is quite difficult at the moment to get the chance to say all that you want to say during telephone appointments, so it might help to jot down questions beforehand.

Let's hope this does not become the new normal.